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Oscar Buzz: Jeffrey Wright Speaks on Why 'American Fiction' Is a Must-See 🏆🍿 | SWAY'S UNIVERSE
Jan 31, 2024
Subscribe now to catch the latest and most revealing interviews in the entertainment sphere! In this exclusive "Sway In The Morning" sit-down, Jeffrey Wright spills the beans on the truth behind 'American Fiction', taking us on a deep dive into the heart of storytelling, authenticity, and the intricate layers of cinema. 🎬✨ From discussing the powerful narrative of 'American Fiction' to sharing personal anecdotes and insights into the film's creation, Wright delivers an interview you won't find anywhere else. Joined by a star-studded cast and diving into topics that resonate deeply in today's society, this conversation is a must-watch for movie buffs and Jeffrey Wright fans alike.
Don't miss out on this compelling discussion that transcends the typical movie talk, offering a unique look into the motivations and implications behind one of the year's most talked-about films. With #JeffreyWright's candid revelations and the engaging dialogue that "Sway In The Morning" is known for, you're in for a treat that's as enlightening as it is entertaining.
For more exclusive interviews and insights into the world of hip-hop, social change, and beyond, from icons like #GrandmasterFlash, #KirkFranklin, #dee1, and more, make sure to hit the subscribe button! Follow Sway’s Universe on all social media platforms and visit our website for the latest in music, culture, and entertainment. Dive into the universe where the biggest names come to share their stories. Watch now and join the conversation!
#KeithDavid #EmotionalFreedom #SocialCommentary #NewFilm #OrionPictures
CHAPTERS:
0:00 - Intro
2:24 - American Fiction Story Analysis
3:58 - Collaboration with Nate Parker
6:38 - Debating Race in America's Significance
8:43 - Issa Rae & Erica Alexander Collaboration
11:28 - Filmmaking Tips for Beginners
15:25 - First Time Caller
16:54 - Jeffrey Wright's Political Science Insights
20:00 - Analyzing the Most Complex Scene
26:31 - Jeffrey Wright in The Batman
28:39 - Outro
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
that was the trailer for The U new film
0:02
called American fiction a movie I went
0:04
to see by myself I thought it was
0:05
important to see it by myself because of
0:08
the cast of characters from John Ortiz
0:10
to Tracy Ellis Ross U to Erica Alexander
0:13
Leslie ugam to Our Guest who is here
0:16
with us today DB I'mma let you do the
0:19
honors thank you uh I remember my mom
0:21
took me to go see shaft and this was the
0:23
first time I got to witness the talent
0:26
of this guest that we have with us today
0:27
as peoples then he went on to do so much
0:30
incredible work I mean from bosot I mean
0:32
uh Hunger Games uh Felix lighter in the7
0:35
franchise and I even loved you in game
0:38
night I I'm friends with lamorn and I
0:39
text him that scene when you said shut
0:41
up everybody like that had me
0:42
cracking up but we're here to talk about
0:44
this new film with an incredible cast
0:46
and whether you went to go see it in the
0:47
theater or if you were lucky enough to
0:48
have an advanced physical copy like
0:50
myself and I'm also a Critic Choice
0:52
member so I was happy to see that I got
0:53
nominated for quite a few of those
0:55
Awards but now we're here to talk about
0:56
the awards is nominated for five Oscars
0:59
best original scor best adapter
1:00
screenplay best appointing actor best
1:02
picture and the best actor nomination
1:04
the guy we have with us right now
1:05
Jeffrey R Jeffrey R is in the build in
1:08
the
1:09
building was scared when I screamed his
1:12
name thank you thank you it's great to
1:14
be back here oh it's good to have you
1:16
man congratulations I I you know
1:18
Sterling K Brown he's been on this show
1:21
before Isa Ray has been on this show
1:23
Adam Brody has been on this show uh
1:25
Keith David Leslie Uggams has been on
1:27
this show crazy cat this cat this cast
1:30
is like the '92 Dream Team or something
1:33
bro Yeah murderers R yeah right did do
1:36
now when when you got so many great
1:39
people is it pressure to have a great
1:42
response or is just about the work no
1:44
it's no pressure it makes it easier okay
1:47
because you have people there who are
1:48
going to bring it and everybody gathered
1:51
around this film because they wanted to
1:53
tell this story they thought this story
1:55
was timely important was hitting on
1:58
things that need to be said said are
2:00
being said in the country now and and
2:03
everybody just came with passion and you
2:05
know it sounds cliche you hear it all
2:07
the time but we brought a lot of love to
2:10
this thing you know it's a we it's a
2:12
little we a little movie you know we
2:14
shot this in 26 days wow uh you know we
2:18
didn't have a lot of resources but we
2:20
brought a lot of ourselves to this story
2:22
can you talk can you break down for the
2:24
audience uh what the story is about and
2:26
then I want to know how does how did
2:28
that relate to your own personal career
2:30
well the story is really about a man
2:32
he's a writer he's a professor uh he
2:35
wants to write from a place of personal
2:38
authenticity and emotional and
2:40
intellectual Freedom he wants to write
2:42
about the things he wants to write about
2:44
yeah but those things aren't necessarily
2:46
received he's you know he's not really
2:48
the most uh uh successful uh writer that
2:52
uh has uh is on the scene so he decides
2:55
out of frustration to write a novel that
2:57
he thinks is for the masses of black
3:00
novel CU he's told what his uh what he's
3:03
writing is not interesting and it's not
3:05
black enough black enough so he decides
3:07
to write you know an urban novel as a
3:10
joke under the name stag R Lee uh to
3:13
show the hypocrisy of the publishing
3:15
industry and the hypocrisy of the ways
3:17
that he's perceived turns out this book
3:20
blows up it's his best-selling novel uh
3:23
and he has to lead this dual life as
3:25
himself uh and as this character that
3:28
he's created meanwhile his family is
3:33
falling apart his mother is ailing his
3:35
father has died at the beginning of the
3:37
movie and that's really his life and for
3:40
me that's where the film lies the satire
3:43
the social commentary is cool but for me
3:45
it's a story about a man in his
3:47
relationship to his family to love and
3:49
to his mother that's where the heart is
3:52
that's what really pulled me into this
3:53
story that's what pulled you in WoW
3:55
Jeffrey right man um working with core
3:59
Jeff
4:00
erson this is directorial Debut um
4:04
talented writer um I've done my research
4:07
familiar with a lot of the things he's
4:08
done what was that experience like uh
4:11
working with him oh it was it was
4:13
fantastic because core wrote this script
4:17
based on a novel called eraser by uh
4:19
peral Everett so he read that book and
4:22
he said it seemed like it was a book
4:24
that was written for him specifically
4:27
and peral said the other night he said I
4:28
don't write a
4:30
biographies but there's a lot of me in
4:32
this character and when I read the
4:34
script I felt the same thing I felt that
4:37
there was things that were happening in
4:39
my life as I read the script that were
4:42
directly uh portrayed in that script and
4:45
and and it just hooked me and so there
4:47
was a lot of overlap for all of us for
4:49
cord for persal for myself and so when
4:51
we got together to work it was like
4:55
let's tell this story let's tell our
4:57
story MH uh let's tell the story of uh
5:02
of a man who is really just trying to be
5:05
himself and that's again why I think the
5:08
the uh the family portrait is so
5:10
important because in the midst of all
5:13
the absurdity and the stupidity that of
5:16
the life that he's H has to pretend to
5:18
lead really is the ordinary
5:21
humanness that you see on screen that is
5:24
the answer to all that how do we want to
5:26
be seen we want to be seen as completely
5:29
human
5:30
and that's what that part of the film is
5:31
about for me so working with cord was it
5:34
was just you know first-time director
5:36
didn't it didn't matter to me because
5:37
what was on the page was so clear was so
5:41
funny was so sharp was so fluent and it
5:44
told me that he was a great communicator
5:46
which is what you need to be a director
5:48
and he was a great leader because he got
5:51
this film made uh just purely on his you
5:55
know his uh energy and his vision
5:58
because nobody wanted to make this film
6:00
except for except for one group and that
6:03
was oryan pictures there was uh some
6:05
backers at a company called MRC and T
6:07
Street and Orion pictures a woman named
6:09
Alana Mayo black woman said this movie
6:12
should be made there's an audience for
6:13
this movie and then uh Amazon MGM came
6:16
on and they've given us the support that
6:18
I've never experienced before in your
6:20
career in my career for a film that I
6:23
was so Central to they have been so
6:25
energized and so uh put so many
6:27
resources and time and energy behind us
6:29
to get this out and to get it seen it's
6:31
been incredible but that goes to uh
6:34
speak to cord's leadership as well and
6:36
that's what he did on set court court I
6:38
read in a Esquire interview um he said
6:41
all I want is for people to go see this
6:42
with their friends and debate yeah what
6:44
does he mean by what do you think he
6:46
meant how did you interpret that well I
6:47
think you know the the the opening scene
6:50
is a scene about um uh language history
6:54
race uh there's a book called the
6:57
artificial written by flaner o
6:59
Connor who's a white writer of the of of
7:02
the South and uh we have a debate in the
7:05
classroom with this student White young
7:07
white girl says I don't want to you know
7:09
that that making me uncomfortable well
7:11
okay and it begins from there it's a
7:14
conversation that's being had uh in the
7:17
country right now everywhere in
7:19
classrooms everywhere in the political
7:22
space everywhere uh in barber shops
7:25
we're having these
7:26
conversations about identity
7:29
about what it means to be ourselves
7:32
whether we're black or otherwise and
7:34
we're having conversations about how we
7:36
exist in this country together around
7:39
race which we've always had but it's
7:41
intensified lately so um you know that's
7:45
at the heart of uh that's the heart of
7:47
this thing that's the heart of this film
7:49
um and so uh and so you know it's a ripe
7:53
conversation what was your what was your
7:54
question again though specifically you
7:56
were asking um about well what he said
7:57
he wanted people to debate
8:00
friends and family to come and have
8:01
these conversations at home right and
8:03
come and have this this conversation
8:05
with friends or people who are not your
8:06
friends or people from across
8:08
backgrounds because we're all thinking
8:10
about it it all it informs all of us
8:13
every day but we don't have these
8:15
conversations well you know generally as
8:18
a collective yeah some of us afraid of
8:20
the conversation in America some of us
8:22
are traumatized by the conversation that
8:24
we have uh around race and and and our
8:27
history but we have to have the
8:29
conversation because we're talking about
8:32
it to ourselves yeah every day let's
8:36
have the conversation let's have it
8:38
better and maybe maybe we can make a
8:41
little progress we can make some
8:42
progress Jeffrey writer is here man come
8:44
on he I know you want to get up on there
8:47
go
8:48
ahead you were talking about um careers
8:52
and and all the guest that as sway
8:53
mentioned we've been in been here before
8:56
but if you can um I love the fact that
8:59
that Erica Alexander is is out like I
9:02
know she's always working and doing
9:04
things behind the scene but it's
9:05
beautiful to see her associated with
9:07
this film I've loved her and introduced
9:09
to her through Living Single like so
9:11
many of us can you speak about her and
9:14
working with her um because I was just
9:16
delighted that she's a part of this and
9:18
seeing her out and about again well
9:19
Erica is so Fierce and so smart yeah and
9:23
so on it she brought so much credibility
9:26
to this character because of who she is
9:30
uh the character is one is a love
9:32
interest among they meet she's a lawyer
9:35
you know she's got her together and
9:39
uh he doesn't necessarily have his
9:42
together
9:43
right and and and she checks him she's
9:47
uh um like Issa reay's character as well
9:50
who who brought incredible credibility
9:52
to this writer that has frustrated Monk
9:56
and has uh caused him to uh to write
9:59
this novel out of anger she too checks
10:01
him so she uh uh is is Erica Issa
10:05
brought such strength that was necessary
10:08
because one of the things we wanted to
10:10
make clear was that this was not like a
10:13
celebration of the black BGE bourjois
10:16
that this wasn't some talented T thing
10:19
but that monk my character was flawed
10:22
and that he's not the same person at the
10:26
end of the movie that he is at the
10:27
beginning and maybe some of his
10:29
criticisms are his own but maybe you
10:32
know maybe there's some flaws in those
10:34
Erica checks him uh Coraline her
10:37
character Issa checks him and there's a
10:39
transformation that he he over uh that
10:42
he experiences over the course of the
10:44
film that is brought on by the
10:47
self-reflection that those experiences
10:50
with those women have so having Erica
10:52
there was um again you know you say when
10:55
you bring these you know these strong
10:57
performers these strong artists together
10:59
does it add pressure no no no it does no
11:01
it makes my job easier cuz they're
11:03
giving me so much to play off of and it
11:06
really just helps Elevate you know my
11:08
work and make me you know stay on my
11:11
game make you look good Jeffrey and it
11:13
and it and and all boats rise the whole
11:16
the whole uh film benefits by by their
11:18
presence so yeah so glad she was there
11:21
yeah amen okay man jumy R is here 888
11:24
742 3345 we going to take a few more of
11:27
your questions we got um Isaiah on the
11:28
line from Ohio what's up
11:31
Isaiah z z hey how's it going great good
11:36
what's your question
11:38
man okay so uh my name is z Williams I'm
11:41
a up and cominging artist um you can
11:43
find me on Instagram as House of zart um
11:47
but my question is when you have an idea
11:51
that's just so big that's bigger than
11:53
you than anything that you've ever done
11:56
where do you get started because I I've
11:57
been wanting getting into film for a
11:59
long time and I've had this idea since I
12:01
was a kid but like where where do I
12:04
start because it's just it's the film
12:06
industry is huge I'm from Davenport Iowa
12:08
by the way I'm sorry not not Ohio okay
12:10
my bad what's the idea that's bigger
12:12
than you just being in
12:14
film well I've had this story
12:18
and when you have something that's just
12:21
you can see it clearly in your head and
12:24
you just how do you how do you start
12:27
with something like that something so
12:28
big that's in your head but you just
12:30
have to like you know get it out I think
12:32
you just if you're talking about writing
12:34
you just you know pick up the pen or
12:35
pick up the computer open the computer
12:37
and start
12:39
typing yes sir there you go great answer
12:42
man hey that's why you got serious
12:45
Isaiah hey keep it simple keep it moving
12:48
keep it simple keep it moving sometimes
12:51
we get in our own way though but I was G
12:53
to ask Jeffrey maybe to to to Isaiah's
12:56
point being in a place like Iowa is it
12:58
harder could would you imagine to get
13:00
like maybe he feels like he needs an
13:01
agent or someone to represent him is it
13:03
harder being in Middle America like that
13:06
you know you start where you start um I
13:10
didn't start acting until I was in
13:12
college my first play was a a student
13:16
production it was an adaptation of
13:19
Wallace Terry's book novel uh book uh uh
13:22
Bloods a novel about uh uh uh the
13:25
experiences of African-Americans who had
13:29
been in the Vietnam War right we did
13:32
that in a blackbox theater behind a
13:35
snack bar a snack bar in school you know
13:39
that's where it started that was my
13:41
first role everything that I have done
13:46
leads from there everything so you start
13:49
where you start you take one step at a
13:51
time and the opportunity will come to
13:55
you as your work uh as your work uh
13:59
demands it so you just do the work
14:01
that's all that's what what I always uh
14:04
uh understood if I do the work
14:07
everything else will flow from that when
14:09
I got back to DC after college I was
14:11
doing Children's Theater that was my
14:13
first gig wow going around to schools in
14:16
DC and Montgomery County uh telling uh
14:19
folktales you know uh playing John Henry
14:22
ha you know
14:24
Runway with oh oh yeah yeah I mean we
14:27
were like the Looney Tunes this for
14:29
elementary school kids that's where I
14:30
started wow and uh that was my first gig
14:33
and everything flows after you know you
14:36
just put the work in yeah just grind
14:38
wherever you can grind and the benefits
14:40
will come if you're good if you're not
14:43
good hey maybe you should be doing
14:45
something else if you heard that you
14:47
said maybe this isn't for me then you
14:49
probably should be doing something else
14:51
but if you if you have it and you work
14:54
at it then everything will flow from
14:57
there Isaiah can't get better than that
14:59
brother go get them okay Isaiah I
15:02
appreciate y'all follow me on Instagram
15:04
when you get a chance okay what is it
15:06
again a house of Z Art and I'm on
15:10
Facebook at Z Williams that's where all
15:12
my visual artwork is I'm wanting to brch
15:16
say I'mma get back to my interview
15:17
brother thank you man God bless you you
15:19
a citizen he got excited I saw you gave
15:22
him arm he took the leg the foot
15:25
everything right Le Lee is in Charlotte
15:27
go ahead Lee you have a question for
15:29
Jeffrey hey
15:30
Lee good morning good morning good
15:32
morning first time caller we got a first
15:35
time
15:37
caller they get the celebration when
15:40
first time call so not really not really
15:43
a question for Mr Wright but just a
15:46
comment I saw the movie on Friday and I
15:48
thoroughly enjoyed it it really spoke to
15:51
me I'm an aate reader and I often say
15:54
that some of the books that are produced
15:57
are I'll just a not something that I
16:00
would want to read I thought the book um
16:02
I thought the movie was very well done I
16:05
really really enjoyed it I've followed
16:07
your career and just really enjoy you as
16:10
an actor well thank you I appreciate
16:12
that thank you very much wow man that's
16:14
a good call Lee Beau thank you Lee we
16:16
appreciate you it was short and quick we
16:18
like those calls yeah you a citizen Lee
16:21
i s the more than they Lo so you never
16:23
know what you're get thank you guys you
16:24
guys do a great job you do a great job
16:27
by uplifting and making others feel good
16:30
it's it's just really good to you know
16:34
experience what I want to say I want
16:36
just this experience just uplifting for
16:40
for us and our people to keep us moving
16:42
forward and keep us moving in the right
16:44
direction so really really appreciate
16:45
everyone's energy on the Shelf it's
16:47
amazing thank you thank you Lee we
16:49
appreciate that that gives us
16:51
confirmation okay thank you for
16:52
supporting us you a super Citizen Way
16:54
the morning Tracy G we got Jeffrey right
16:56
here yes we do and I'm thoroughly
16:58
enjoying your presence Jeffrey oh thank
17:00
you absolutely I'm from the school of
17:02
thought that everything is used nothing
17:06
goes wasted even if it doesn't make
17:08
sense in the moment later in life and
17:11
hindsight you'll be like o that was the
17:12
missing piece to this puzzle when you
17:14
were talking about um your Origins and
17:17
how you got started right and even
17:19
though it may have been in like a
17:20
chaotic unideal situation that was the
17:23
beginning point and you move forward I
17:25
had read that um you had majored gotten
17:28
your back degree in political science
17:30
and had considered law school and of
17:32
course you veered you followed your
17:34
heart and you went into acting can you
17:36
see how anything from political science
17:39
has been of benefit to you as an actor
17:42
oh yeah definitely and I wouldn't say it
17:43
was a chaotic less than ideal start it
17:46
was the perfect start for me perfect
17:48
Perfect um yeah I mean politics
17:51
particularly now politics is a Showbiz
17:55
yeah I mean there's a lot of theater
17:56
yeah a lot of acting a lot of
17:58
performance so um I grew up in
18:00
Washington uh DC my mother was a lawyer
18:04
uh so I was surrounded by you know she
18:06
work for the government U government and
18:08
politics that was my interest that's
18:10
when you're from DC you know that's what
18:12
you do no matter where you are you could
18:14
be you know dude on the corner the guy
18:17
uh you know the the you know the lawyer
18:19
or uh or you know the guy at the liquor
18:22
store everybody has a political opinion
18:23
in
18:25
DC fact and and it's usually it's
18:27
usually smart so um but when I started
18:32
acting what I was able to find was ways
18:35
to tell stories and stories to tell that
18:38
Blended my interests in the creative but
18:41
also in the political I tend to look at
18:43
everything and see Politics as you know
18:45
but for example the first thing that I
18:47
did which was this uh this uhu uh
18:50
retelling of this novel about uh blacks
18:53
black folks returning from Vietnam it
18:55
was like deeply you know it was it was
18:58
political Ally poignant it was for
19:00
obvious reasons so later on I did you
19:03
know angels in America on Broadway again
19:07
I was able to blend those political
19:08
interests with the creative interests so
19:11
um it's only you know it really hasn't
19:15
uh it's helped me absolutely and I think
19:17
if you want to be an artist I think one
19:20
of the problems that we can run into is
19:24
that we don't have as broad an
19:27
understanding of things out outside of
19:29
our artart and ourselves and we get kind
19:32
of consumed with you know our ego and
19:35
all of that stuff and we have opinions
19:37
but we don't necessarily have the
19:39
information to really validate those
19:42
opinions and give them strength that's
19:44
good you know so to I I my advice to
19:47
people who want to do this study
19:48
anything except you know acting study
19:52
sociology study anthropology study
19:55
history why so you know what you're
19:57
talking about
19:58
wow wow Jeffrey Bri said thank you Mike
20:01
Muse Hey Jeffrey uh congratulations on
20:04
delivering an incredible performance it
20:06
is my favorite performance of the Season
20:08
thank um and so the question I have for
20:10
you is my favorite scene that really
20:11
captures I think your performance is in
20:13
the restaurant when you're meeting with
20:14
the publisher and so I'm just curious is
20:17
like how did Jeffrey Wright prepare to
20:21
play monk in that moment because I
20:23
thought that was the most complex moment
20:25
of the film oh that's funny um so that's
20:28
uh um uh Adam Brody's character who's
20:30
the uh the producer produc who's who's
20:33
who's going to uh wants to take this
20:35
idea and put it on the big screen there
20:38
was a very specific reference for me
20:41
it's the first time in the film that we
20:43
see monk playing this character stag AR
20:46
Le in public the other times he's been
20:49
on the phone having these conversations
20:50
with these Publishers and so that was
20:53
cool because the voice is saying one
20:55
thing his eyes and his body are saying
20:58
another so he's making a comment on
21:00
having to play to their uh expectations
21:03
of him he's you know he's it's it was it
21:07
was fun a fun Duality within the Duality
21:09
for me that scene though when he steps
21:12
out in public there was one reference
21:15
for me at the start that was Jean Wilder
21:18
and Richard prior in Silver
21:21
street when they're in the bathroom in
21:24
the train station fugitive at the end of
21:26
the movie and and color in the face and
21:29
he put black face with the shoe polish
21:32
he's deuce
21:34
and and prior is coaching him on you
21:37
know come on brother you know you know
21:39
how you going to be black you know get
21:41
the you know on the whole thing the be
21:44
that in in that moment where I stepped
21:47
into that space that was the reference
21:49
although it's very toned down you did it
21:52
perfectly it's just but but that's
21:54
exactly where I was thinking very very
21:56
you know rarely do I have a a specific
21:58
reference particularly to another film
22:01
but it just it was you know I mean you
22:04
know go to go to the source you know you
22:07
gave up a secret right there Jeffy W
22:09
gave up a gy I like that I like that I
22:11
mean but that's also a type of humor uh
22:15
that you know people are scared to tell
22:18
now yeah you can't tell you can't you I
22:21
mean but it's prior it's prior and
22:23
Wilder yeah I mean
22:26
uh little old mod to them because uh
22:32
yeah that was a different time but they
22:34
were they were on to something they were
22:36
on it something man uh DB I'm G let you
22:38
get the last question in thank you um
22:41
the fact that Monk's mom has uh
22:43
Alzheimer's I won't give it way too much
22:44
but um I'm dealing with that in in in
22:46
some regards so it's whenever I see
22:48
something like that a situation like
22:49
that on screen it kind of it hits home
22:52
not saying I don't want to watch it but
22:54
it is a little tough because it
22:55
instantly puts me you know back in that
22:56
mindset of of dealing with a situation
22:58
like that um has there ever been a
23:00
situation where you were doing a scene
23:01
and let's say another actor was uh
23:03
portraying you know somebody with an
23:04
ailment or disability whatever it is and
23:06
maybe it it hit home for you and you
23:08
maybe got caught up in the moment while
23:10
doing the scene well you know the the
23:13
good thing about what we do is that as
23:15
actors is that we have an opportunity or
23:17
as artists generally we have an
23:19
opportunity to take those things that
23:21
have made that may have been difficult
23:22
for us and try to make some sense out of
23:26
them at least and um and maybe create
23:29
something beautiful out of that uh and
23:33
ideally you know provide a little relief
23:35
or Comfort or at least validation for
23:38
someone who's who takes that that in in
23:41
this
23:42
instance uh you know my mother passed
23:44
away about a little over a year before I
23:46
got this script went very quickly she
23:49
died of uh of cancer uh but I played
23:53
caretaker to her in that last phase I
23:56
had the Good Fortune to be ready raised
23:58
by my mother and her eldest sister my
24:00
Aunt who's now 94 years old who came to
24:02
live with us uh in New York so I spent
24:06
many months uh cursing out uh various
24:10
insurance company Representatives ands
24:14
and all of that and you know it was the
24:16
pressures that come along with that as
24:19
well I have kids uh were were pretty
24:22
heavy you know you think when you're
24:23
younger that life gets easier as you get
24:25
older and then it's like no no no no no
24:27
no no
24:28
so that's what interested me in telling
24:30
this story was that relationship to the
24:33
mother my son saw the movie he said uh
24:36
he said there's a lot of uh he said I
24:38
saw a lot of myself in that character in
24:40
terms of this external like you know
24:42
misunderstanding he said and also it's a
24:45
beautiful homage to Grandma yeah he said
24:49
so that for me again when I went back
24:51
you know going back to talking about the
24:52
importance of this family that for me
24:54
really was the core of it and I hope
24:57
hope that people will see it and people
24:59
have said you know I'm dealing with the
25:02
same thing I'm caretaker to my father my
25:04
mother has Alzheimer so many people have
25:06
come and uh and and found some you know
25:10
some comfort in that or at least some
25:12
connection to that as you have even
25:14
though it may be difficult so that's a
25:17
universal thing we all you know have
25:20
experienced many of us have experien
25:22
that uh that you know having having to
25:24
play caretaker having to be the adult in
25:25
the room of our family and many of will
25:28
and that's regardless of background yeah
25:31
that's anyone who's born of a
25:33
family anyone born and and and that's
25:36
what I love about our film is that it
25:38
has that open invitation it's welcoming
25:40
in that way to uh to people you know uh
25:43
who may not think they'll find a home in
25:45
there but will and they come in and you
25:47
know have a laugh you know we don't take
25:48
ourselves too seriously come in feel
25:51
these things talk about these things and
25:53
enjoy the ride as you do it Jeffrey
25:56
Wright man can I ask your mom's name
25:58
my mother my mother's name was Barbara
26:00
Barbara Barbara Whiting Wright Barbara
26:03
Whiting Wright Barbara Whiting Wright
26:05
Barbara whing right she yeah we signify
26:08
we say those names three times brother
26:10
thank you man absolutely thank you man
26:12
thank you for coming today brother thank
26:14
you for your openness and transparency
26:16
we appreciate you man it's an honor to
26:18
sit with you man I I respect what you do
26:21
to the highest degree and it motivates
26:23
me in what I do I appreciate it do do
26:25
the best I can bro there you go oh you
26:27
knocking them out the box man
26:29
occasionally occasionally I do that too
26:31
you do that man can I ask you about
26:34
James Gordon yeah sure yeah uh so what I
26:37
know I I read about Batman the next
26:39
installment coming out what can you tell
26:41
us about that uh I don't know much I
26:42
haven't read the script yet okay uh
26:44
looking forward to getting back into it
26:47
um letting Matt Reeves uh who uh wrote
26:50
and directed the first one and this one
26:52
uh do his thing and when the time comes
26:55
uh we'll be headed back to Gotham are
26:57
those things it's like is it such thing
26:59
as is is one type of role you play more
27:02
fun than the other like being on the set
27:04
of Batman or is it all kind of in the
27:07
same skill uh I try to Choose Wisely I
27:10
have lately I've had I've been having a
27:12
lot of a lot of fun on on you know on
27:15
the projects I've been working with
27:16
lately the the first Batman was
27:18
challenging I have to say because we
27:20
were in the heart of the you know the
27:22
the pandemic and uh living over in
27:25
London you know separated
27:28
couldn't bring anybody over you know
27:30
living in a hotel There Was You Know 300
27:32
room hotel I think I think there were
27:34
four of us in the hotel I walked past a
27:36
room there was a tray outside I said
27:38
okay there's a human there but
27:41
everything was shut down I mean it you
27:42
know not to complain you know because we
27:45
were working on this incredible project
27:47
but uh that isolation was tricky and we
27:51
a lot of us were feeling that during the
27:53
pandemic but you know we're just going
27:54
to work and going back to the hotel and
27:56
nothing else man that was like
27:58
it was you know we enjoyed what we were
27:59
doing but that was uh that was tricky so
28:01
when we get back to the next one uh it
28:04
it'll be fun uh even more fun I think
28:06
but yeah man I mean how can you not have
28:08
fun like you know I mean the first day
28:10
we were
28:11
filming standing there and then my man
28:15
walks in in the Batman full thing I'm
28:17
like you know that was the first time
28:19
I'd seen him you know in the full cap
28:22
cow whole thing and I mean that just
28:25
took me back you know that just took me
28:27
back to my childhood man yeah how can
28:29
you not have fun doing that man and you
28:32
know getting paid for it I mean you know
28:34
and calling it work yeah yeah it was all
28:36
good God bless you man Jeffrey man
28:39
that's where we at right now come on man
28:41
give it up for Jeffrey R see the movie
28:43
take it family go home debate it discuss
28:45
it and then see it again American
28:48
fiction brother it's always great to
28:49
have you here than Jeffrey wri man make
28:51
sure y'all follow him J free right we
28:53
coming right back
28:56
shade45
#Arts & Entertainment